Category: Hellraisers Journal

Hellraisers Journal: From the Industrial Worker: IWW to Support Free Speech Fight-“Go to it, fellow workers of Fresno!”

Janet RayeFrank Little
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Quote Frank Little, Fresno Jails Dungeons, FMR p6, Sept 2, 1910———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday September 13, 1910
Fresno, California – Free Speech Fight Is On; Call Goes Out to Rebel Workers

From the Spokane Industrial Worker of September 10, 1910:

IWW Fresno FSF, All Aboard f Fresno, IW p1, Sept 10, 1910

FREE SPEECH MUST BE WON IN FRESNO
——-

Industrial Worker:

F. H. Little sentenced before a perjured jury to 25 days in jail. A police conspiracy to get Organizer Little out of town. Police used three false witnesses against fellow workers. We have sworn out warrant against one for perjury. Jury composed of Bourgeois, cockroaches and real estate grafters. Jury hung on two-fourth acquitted. Little in dungeon for refusing to work.

The above telegram received from Fresno, Cal., is conclusive evidence that Fresno is in need of a dose of the same medicine that was administered to Spokane last winter. It will be remembered that the lads from Fresno and California in general were among the foremost of the militant agitators and it is now up to the workers of the Northwest to go to Fresno and help to regain free speech. Many of the mistakes of the last fight will be avoided, as it is wise to profit by our past mistakes.

Furthermore, each man should operate on the principle of “let not your right hand know what your left is doing.” While all will work together, there will be no coughing up to the police. Remember, if cross-questioned in the sweat box, that “I forgot everything I ever knew.” Likewise, “I disremember, I don’t know.” No worker is obliged to cough up all he DON’T KNOW just because a courteous thug in brass buttons asks him how about it. And it is not a mark of nerve or bravery to boast of various things concerning the organization, but only of being used as a means of information by the gum shoe brigade. Give them a run for their money. If they want to know things, let them go to the trouble of investigating. Let them read our literature. Above all, let there be no compromise. A compromise with the boss is always a surrender of points that do not need to be surrendered. If the boss has the upper hand, he will not compromise, and if he does not hold the best cards let us play the hand out. Why compromise when the boss is ready to compromise? If he will compromise, he will surrender. Let us MAKE HIM SURRENDER.

Go to it, fellow workers of Fresno! The whole national organization , every rebel in the country, the power of the workers’ press, all are with you. We can’t lose-for we have nothing to lose. We will win, for we will play on their pocket book and their dislike for publicity.

—————

[Emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Frank Little Leaves Dark Fresno Dungeon, Will Work in Park on Orders of I. W. W. Headquarters

Janet RayeFrank Little
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Quote Frank Little, Fresno Jails Dungeons, FMR p6, Sept 2, 1910———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday September 12, 1910
Fresno, California – Fellow Worker Frank Little Leaves Dark Dungeon Cell

From The Fresno Morning Republican of September 9, 1910:

I. W. W. ORDERS LITTLE TO
WORK IN THE PARK

——-

“Martyr” Will Join Gang of Trusties
This Morning; Leaves Dark Cell.
——-

Frank Little Thrown in Fresno Tank, FMR p10, Sept 3, 1910

When Park Superintendent Woods takes his gang of trusties from the county jail at 8 o’clock this morning for the regular daily duties in the court house park, F. H. Little, the I. W. W. member, who is serving twenty-five days for disturbing the peace, will be among the workers.

Last night, Secretary W. F. Little of the local order of Industrial Workers of the World, received a telegram from headquarters in Chicago ordering F. H. Little, the “martyr,” to vacate the dark cell in the jail and go to work in the park.

Upon receipt of the telegram, a few members of the local I. W. W. held a conference and concurred in the action. The news was transmitted to “Martyr” Little, who was asked to abide by the action of general headquarters. Twice since his incarceration, F. H. Little has refused to work in the park. Upon his refusal the day jailer put Little on a diet of bread and water in the dark cell for intervals of four days with a square meal on the fifth day.

—————

[Newsclip added: Fresno Morning Republic of September 3, 1910.]
[Emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Sways Thousands of Pennsylvania Miners, Now Ready to Strike for Their Just Demands

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, If war Shamokin Sep 8, Phl Iq p2, Sept 9, 1900———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday September 11, 1900
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania – Mother Jones Working with Mine Workers Union

From The Philadelphia Inquirer of September 5, 1900:

Mother Jones n Father Phillips w Miners in PA, Phl Iq p4, Sept 5, 1900

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Sways Thousands of Pennsylvania Miners, Now Ready to Strike for Their Just Demands” →

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for August 1900, Part II: Found Visiting Massacre Site at Lattimer Near Hazleton

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Shoulder to Shoulder, Blt Sun p10, July 26, 1900———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday September 10, 1900
Mother Jones News Round-Up for August 1900, Part II
Found Visiting Massacre Site at Lattimer, Pennsylvania

From the Freeland Tribune of August 17, 1900:

DEMANDS OF THE MINERS
——-

[…..]

Lattimer Massacre, Marchers w Flag, Sept 10, 1897
Miners marching near
Hazelton, Pennsylvania,
September 10, 1897.

As announced in Wednesday’s issue of the Tribune, the representatives of the United Mine Workers of America, in convention at Hazleton, adopted a resolution which calls upon the coal operators to meet delegates from the three districts in joint conference in Hazleton on Monday, August 27. [A] committee was appointed to correspond with the operators…..

The convention then adjourned. The delegates afterwards visited Lattimer, where the miners were killed three years ago by Sheriff Martin’s posse. On the exact spot where the men were shot down addresses were delivered, and the men rededicated themselves to the cause of labor. Speeches were made by President Mitchell, District President Duffy, “Mother” Jones and National Board Member James.

John Bernoski, of Shamokin, addressed the crowd in Polish. Frank Riecco, who carried the American Flag and was with the miners on that fatal day, was present and spoke a few words. On the way back many of the delegates visited St. Joseph’s cemetery, where the dead miners were buried.

The [strike] situation now hinges on the operators’ attitude next Monday.

—————

[Photograph added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for August 1900, Part I: Found Visiting Jailed Strikers of Georges Creek Coal District

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Shoulder to Shoulder, Blt Sun p10, July 26, 1900———-

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday September 9, 1900
Mother Jones News Round-Up for August 1900, Part I
Found Visiting Jailed Strikers of Georges Creek Coal District

From The Philadelphia Inquirer of August 5, 1900:

STRIKE LEADER GOES TO PRISON
FOR SIX MONTHS
——-
Woman Sympathizer Creates a Sensation
in a Maryland Jail

Special to The Inquirer.

Mother Jones, Kenosha Ns WI p7, June 26, 1900

CUMBERLAND, Md., Aug. 4.-William Warner, the strike leader, was sentenced this afternoon to six months in the House of Correction, having been convicted of unlawful assembly during trouble which arose at an anti-strike meeting. Seventeen miners were also sentenced. They were visited at the jail this afternoon by Mother Jones, the woman labor organizer, who created a sensation by proposing three cheers in the jail for the strikers and three hisses “for the blacklegs.” She led the cheering, as well as the hissing. Warner, who is from Pittsburg, took an appeal.

—————

[Photograph added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for July 1900: Found Speaking for Striking Miners of Georges Creek Coal District

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Shoulder to Shoulder, Blt Sun p10, July 26, 1900———-

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday September 8, 1900
Mother Jones News Round-Up for July 1900
Found Speaking in Baltimore for Striking Miners of Georges Creek Coal District

From the Baltimore Sun of July 26, 1900:

MOTHER JONES FOR MINERS
—————
She Denounces The Courts And
The Federation Gives $25.

Mother Jones, Kenosha Ns WI p7, June 26, 1900

The courts of Cumberland are God Almighty in the State of Maryland, and there is no justice for the laborer in them. They are dirty, contemptible courts, and a lot of “my boys” have been brought up before them for standing up for their rights. You know how much justice they will get. The poor man has no rights any more, and all we workers will get will be what we stand shoulder to shoulder and fight for, miners and all other workingmen included. The man or woman who will not fight for his or her rights is unworthy to be a father or mother.

With these words “Mother” Jones, the female labor agitator, opened a speech at the regular weekly meeting of the Federation of Labor last night. She had two young men, striking miners, with her, whom she called her “boys,” and said she had brought them along with her to appeal to the labor unions of Baltimore for financial aid for the strikers of the George’s Creek region. Every union in the city will be visited and asked to contribute. The Federation of Labor, at the suggestion of President Sullivan, headed a subscription for the striking mine workers with $25.

In describing the alleged deplorable condition of some of the mine workers in [West?] Virginia, where she had been endeavoring to organize unions, “Mother” Jones said:

If you could be there and see little children coming up out of the mines, you would not want to be missionaries to China, but would become missionaries to the coal fields. If those fellows over there in China had stayed at home and minded their own business they would be better off, and so would we. I don’t blame the Boxers a bit.

We had a visit from a sort of a missionary not long ago. He was looking after himself, though. This Roosevelt, the Rough Rider, comes down from New York, and, say, what happened? Why, every mine workman was made to turn out and cheer for him. Roosevelt wants a job.

The speaker made a stirring appeal for money to help the men now on strike, and alleged that the fight against the “money power” was just the same, whether conducted in Baltimore or in Cumberland.

Charles Dold, of Chicago, general organizer of the Piano Workers’ Union, stated that on Saturday he had organized a local union of 60 members. Union-made pianos are hereafter to have union labels upon them.

The nominations for officers, to be balloted for at a later meeting, were as follows:

For president, J. M. Sullivan; for first vice-president, William Biggins and George D. Simpson; for second vice-president, William H. O. Thompson and J. Pearson; recording secretary, H. L. Elchleberger; financial secretary, George Greisman; treasurer, John W. Ringrose.

—————

[Photograph added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: International Socialist Review: Ad for “Diary of a Shirt Waist Striker” by Theresa Malkiel

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote Clara Lemlich, Cooper Un Nov 22 re Uprising, NY Call p2, Nov 23, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday September 7, 1910
“Diary of  a Shirtwaist Striker” by Theresa Serber Malkiel
-“A Story of the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike in New York”

From the International Socialist Review of September 1910:

Ad f Diary Shirt Waist Striker T Malkiel, ISR p190, Sept 1910

———-

Ad for Debs Bk, ISR p189, Sept 1910

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Spokane Industrial Worker: “All Aboard for Fresno…Free Speech Fight On”

Janet RayeFrank Little
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Quote Frank Little, Fresno Jails Dungeons, FMR p6, Sept 2, 1910———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday September 6, 1910
Fresno, California – Free Speech Fight On; St. John Issues Call for Volunteers

From the Spokane Industrial Worker of September 3, 1910:

IWW Fresno FSF, All Aboard f Fresno, IW p1, Sept 3, 1910

IWW FSF, Go to Fresno, IW p1, Sept 3, 1910

Fellow Workers: The police have been harassing us for some time. Do not allow us to speak on streets and have arrested four of us for no cause at all. Trial set for August 31st. We have decided that we must whip the city or quit. Can you back us with men?

We think it a good plan to have the old-timers who took part in the Spokane and Missoula fights to arrive first, so that we may get the benefit of their experience in bringing the matter to a culmination and see that everything goes through in good shape to the end that we give the wage workers a good example of what we can do. There will be no lawyers or defense fund, except a jungling fund.

Yours for the I. W. W.
AN AGITATOR.
2022 Mariposa St., Fresno, Cal.

—————

[Emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Fellow Worker Frank Little in Fresno, Thrown into Dark Cell, Sings Rebel Songs All Day Long

Janet RayeFrank Little
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Quote Frank Little, Fresno Jails Dungeons, FMR p6, Sept 2, 1910———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday September 5, 1910
Fresno, California – Frank Little Thrown into Dungeon, Sings Rebel Songs

From The Fresno Morning Republican of September 1, 1910:

JURY IN POLICE COURT RENDERS
4 VERDICTS IN AFTERNOON
——-
F. H. Little Found Guilty;
Victor Vogel Is Acquitted.
——-
W. F. Little and Wm. Flanagan
May Be Tried Second Time.
——-

IWW Fresno FSF, Frank Little Arrested, LA Tx p23, Aug 26, 1910

Four members of the local branch of the Industrial Workers of the World were tried before a jury in the police court yesterday. The trial occupied the entire afternoon, but was devoid of sensational features. F. H. Little was found guilty of disturbing the peace. Sentence will be pronounced by Judge Briggs at 10 o’clock this morning. Victor Vogel was acquitted on the same charge and W. F. Little and William Flanagan will be discharged today as the jury failed to reach an agreement in their cases. The jury, of which E. C. Van Buren was foreman, rendered three separate verdicts, although the four I. W. W. members were tried jointly on the same charge.

The Little brothers appeared as counsel for the quartet of defendants. Assistant District Attorney Manson McCormick conducted the prosecution.….

The Little brothers called Detective Sam Drenth to the stand in an effort to get an admission that the police were trying to break up the local order of the I. W. W. The questions propounded by Little were overruled and Drenth did not give any testimony. The four defendants then took the stand and gave their side of the case.

The witnesses for the prosecution told conflicting stories, although the facts simmered down to a little loud talking on the part of F. H. Little, Victor Vogel and William Flanagan. The men were discussing the rooms in a certain lodging house on H street. Little talked a trifle too loud. Patrolman Piemens approached the trio and asked Little and his friends not to talk so loud. The men refused and defied the officer, whereupon he took them to jail. W. F. Little joined the party in the courthouse park and he too was placed under arrest.

—————

[Newsclip added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: From International Socialist Review: “Outlook for Socialism” by Eugene Victor Debs, Part II

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote Victor Hugo To Rich n Poor, Firemens Mag p5, Jan 1883———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday September 4, 1900
“Outlook for Socialism in the United States” by Eugene V. Debs

From the International Socialist Review of September 1900:

OutLook for Socialism by EVD, ISR p129, Sept 1900
[Part II of II

-by Eugene Debs, Social Democratic Party’s Candidate for President.]

EVD crpd Nw Orln Tx Dem p3, Jan 26, 1900What the workingmen of the country are profoundly interested in is the private ownership of the means of production and distribution, the enslaving and degrading wage-system in which they toil for a pittance at the pleasure of their masters and are bludgeoned, jailed or shot when they protest—this is the central, controlling, vital issue of the hour, and neither of the old party platforms has a word or even a hint about it.

As a rule, large capitalists are Republicans and small capitalists are Democrats, but workingmen must remember that they are all capitalists, and that the many small ones, like the fewer large ones, are all politically supporting their class interests, and this is always and everywhere the capitalist class.

Whether the means of production—that is to say, the land, mines, factories, machinery, etc.—are owned by a few large Republican capitalists, who organize a trust, or whether they be owned by a lot of small Democratic capitalists, who are opposed to the trust, is all the same to the working class. Let the capitalists, large and small, fight this out among themselves.

The working class must get rid of the whole brood of masters and exploiters, and put themselves in possession and control of the means of production, that they may have steady employment without consulting a capitalist employer, large or small, and that they may get the wealth their labor produces, all of it, and enjoy with their families the fruits of their industry in comfortable and happy homes, abundant and wholesome food, proper clothing and all other things necessary to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” It is therefore a question not of “reform,” the mask of fraud, but of revolution. The capitalist system must be overthrown, class-rule abolished and wage-slavery supplanted by the co-operative industry.

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